Taking a count of the Spectrum-supplied elements found in the PA, 64 KSL enclosures from d&b audiotechnik spanned across the main and side hangs along with 24 d&b V12 cabinets that served as extreme side hangs. Ten J-SUBs running in normal, non-infra mode were positioned in an array across the front of the stage from left to right, individually positioned in a straight line but arc-delayed and rotating outward as they departed from center in five-degree increments.

More than 20 d&b D80s per side provided amplification, with a pair of redundant spares available on each bank. The entire flown system was array processed.

In addition, a dozen d&b Y10P boxes were carried as well for use as fills, with eight usually standing in as the regular count. The stage itself featured shelves for some of these boxes, while another per side was mounted on a stand behind the outermost subs, and another yet resided atop a stage left monitor and the stage right guitar bunkers to cover the extreme sides below the 220-degree hangs.

“The flown system was designed to cover from the barrier to the back row,” Watt relates, “The fills were used more as a tool for impact, detail, and image, and less as a necessity for coverage. I focused on image a lot when tuning, as it could get lost easily. In certain areas I found that it was important to listen to where the sound was coming from in terms of the audience’s perspective. I didn’t want to be looking at the stage 20 feet in front of me and hear something from 30 feet above my head. That wouldn’t have made sense spatially or psychologically.

“Imaging was mostly incorporated into the measurement and tuning process then tweaked as required when I listened to content,” he continues. “For timing and tuning I used (Rational Acoustics) Smaart V8 and a combination of Earthworks and iSEMcon microphones, and most importantly, my ears. Once I had the room measured, drawn out, and the PA was designed, I spent some more time making sure my d&b R1 remote control software views were correct. I ran a lot of custom pages to monitor all aspects of the system.”

Out at FOH, Gary Bradshaw relied on a DiGiCo SD7 console. “I think I’ve used most, if not the entire DiGiCo range of consoles on various projects over the years,” he says, “and have enjoyed working on all of them. The beauty of the SD7 is found in the built-in redundancy, four banks of faders, and three big screens. The layout of the desk is very straightforward and easy to navigate, and audio quality is second to none. The only effect I used for ELO was a delay that can be heard in a couple of songs.

“There was absolutely no reverb on anything. I used a few Waves plug-in compressors. A dbx 160 ran across the drum sub-group, there was a CLA-3A on bass guitar, CLA-2As on each of the acoustic guitars, and a CLA-76 on the electric 12-string guitar that gets used on the Traveling Wilburys song ‘Handle With Care.’ Vocal compression and de-essing was done with onboard channel processing. I used the virtual soundcheck option all the time. It helped with the fine-tuning needs particular to the room of the day. The DiGiCo’s capability to hone in in on a particular drum or guitar, replay a chorus, and check the balance of backing vocals was worth its weight in gold.”